Panel board and cabinet therefor



Sept. 20, 1932. T SHULL 1,878,336

PANEL BOARD AND CABINET THEREFOR Filed Jan. 18, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l Sept. 20, 1932. F. T. SHULL PANEL BOARD AND CABINET THEREFOR Filed Jan. 18, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 3140mm.- @JW Patented Sept. 20, 1932 PATENT OFFICE FRANK T. SKULL, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PANEL BOARD AND CABINET THEREFOR Application filed January 18, 1928. Serial No. 247,577.

This invention relates to panel boards and cabinets therefor, which are adapted more particularly to be placed in recesses provided therefor in the walls, floors, ceilings, or parti- ,6 tions of buildings. I

One of the main features of the invention is to provide a box or cabinet for the panel board proper with its associated arts, of

, such construction that the same may be placed in the Walls or the like of a building during the construction of the latter, and allowing for the read adjustment or alignment of the face of the box or cabinet with the finished surrounding face or surface of the wall, either before or during the time the workmen are plastering, tiling, paneling or installing any other surface or covering; with the result that the walls of the box may be used for the ground strip or line to which the plasterer or 29 workman Works.

In prior constructions and applications of boxes or cabinets for panel boards and the like, efforts have been made to correct errors in the setting of the box or cabinet, so that i when the walls, floors, and ceilings, or partitions, were plastered, etc., or the face stoneor brick work set, the faces of the boxes or cabinets would assume a position substantially flush with the surrounding Wall; but such prior constructions with which I am familiar have not proved satisfactory, and it has been found that oftentimes, although considerable care is exercised in the installation of the boxes or cabinets, the faces of the same are found not to line up with the surfaces of the surrounding walls and are sometimes set back to an extent from to 3". These conditions make it quite difficult for the workmen to make a straight and true surface, in any instance, around the box or cabinet and also make it very diflicult for the electrician to install his devices within the box or cabinet, apply the cover, doors, trims, etc., to make a workmanlike and pleasing installation.

In carrying out the present invention, it is contemplated to provide a novel and improved construction of facing strip for the box or cabinet, the same being adapted to be adjusted in a convenient way, with respect to the side walls of the box or cabinet, whereby the facing strip for the front of the box or cabinet will assume a position flush with the surrounding wall of the recess provided for the cabinet, and such facing strip also constituting a ground strip or line for the workmen in the plastering operation.

It is also contemplated to provide means whereby, regardless of the adjustment of the facing strips referred to, the panel board construction may assume a proper position with respect to the facing strip; and to this end novel means of connection is provided between the panel board and said adjustable facing strips, so that upon the adjustment of the facing strips the panel board will be simultaneously adjusted, so that its proper relationship to the facing strips is maintained.

Other improvements and novel details in the construction and arrangement of the va- 7c rious parts are contemplated and will be understood from the following description which is to be considered in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof and wherein is disclosed a satisfactory embodiment of the invention. It is to be understood in this connection, however, that I have in mind various modifications and changes in details of construction, so long as the general spirit of the invention is preserved.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front view with the cover parts for the cabinet or box removed;

Figure 2 is a. section substantially on the line 22 of Figure 1, and showing the cover plate in position;

Figure 3 is a transverse section substantially on the line 33 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a front View partly in section and partly in elevation.

With more particular reference to the drawings, like reference numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views. In such drawings, 1 is the bottom or rear wall of an improved type of box or cabinet adapted to receive a panel board construction or the like.

The wall 1 has connected thereto end walls 2 and side walls 3. Conveniently, these walls 12;:

are struck up from integral extensions of the bottom wall of sheet metal, and the meeting edges at the corners may unite in any desired manner so as to make a substantially rigid, rectangular box construction. Positioned within the box (assuming that the panel board is to be used in this connection) is the bottom wall 1- of such panel board, the same connecting with side walls 5 and end walls 6. These walls 1, 5, 6, may be formed of slate, marble, or any ofthe materials usually employed for this purpose. The side *alls 5 are connected to the side walls 6 through the medium of angle bars 7 and 8 overlying respectively the inner and outer surfaces of the adjoining corners of the side and end walls. Projecting between these plates and in the space between the adjacent edges of the side and end walls, are suitable securing bolts or the like 9 adapted to be engaged by suitable winged nuts 10, whereby when the latter are seated a rigid construction of panel board with the side wall results, and whereby upon the removal of the inner nuts 10 the connecting angle plates 7 and 8 may be removed to allow the side and end walls of the panelboarc to assume a flat position, for shipping purposes or for replacement if desired.

In order to provide for suitable adjustment of the exposed front of the box or cabinet, whereby to register with the surface of the surrounding wall to which the cabinet is applied, I provide an adjustable facing strip,including end members 11 and side members 12, the members 11 and 12 being connected so as to provide a continuous rectangular facing st 'ip. The outer edges of the facing strip members 11 terminate substantially flush with the side walls 3 of the cabinet, and the inner edges of the end strip members 11 are inwardly upset or bent to provide a flange 11 overlying the inner surface of the end walls 2 but spaced inwardly therefrom. These offset flanges 11 form a bac ing for any plaster which may find its way through the space between the strip members 11 and the upper edges of the end walls of the cabinet.

The facing strip members 12 atthe sides of the cabinet have downwardly projecting side walls 13 preferably of substantial width and having sliding engagement with the inner surfaces of the side walls 3 of the cabinet, whereby substantial support is given to the facing strips.

Suitable connection between the panel board and the facing strip is provided, and in that embodimentillustrated, a convenient way of forming this connection includes laterally pro'ecting feet 1% on the securing angle bars 8, to which feet 1d are in turn secured as by means of bolts 15 offset feet 16 of outwardly projecting arms 17, which latter are secured in any desired manner, as by securing bolts or welding, to the flanges 18 projecting downwardly from the facing strip members 1 The flanges 13 of the side facing strips 12 are provided with slotted ways 18 adapted to receive securing bolts 19 projecting from the side walls of the cabinet, a suitable washer 20 being interposed between the head of the bolts and the flange 13 0f the facing strip members 12.

It will be observed that the panel board construction by means of the connections specified is substantially rigidly connected to the flanges 13 of the facing strip members 12, with the result that any adjustment of the facing strips will carry with it similar adjustment to the front edges of the side walls of the panel box. Now, by loosening the securing bolts 19, the facing strips with the panel board may be adjusted inwardly or outwardly for proper lining purposes; and when said bolts are seated, the facing strips and panel board will maintain their proper relationship with respect to the surrounding wall of the recess provided forthe reception of the cabinetor box.

The soace between the facing strips and upper edges of the end walls, which upper edges are preferably offset, as indicated at 3, affords a convenient means for the reception of plaster in the finishing operation-of the vall, and a suitable anchoring medium.

A suitable cover for the cabinet is provided at 21, the same being secured as by removable bolts 22 to the facing strips, but which may if desired terminate within theouter edge of said facing strips, whereby a suitable filling strip 23 may be utilized to constitute in effect a continuation of the outer surface of the cover 21 and thereby make a continuous substantially flush exposed outer-surface at the point of connection with the surrounding plaster or other wall surface.

An intermediate door 24 is also preferably provided, the same being mounted on hinges 24 at one edge and provided with a knob or handle 25 adjacent its free edge, whereby convenient access to the interior of the cabinet is provided for the operation of the switches, the application or removal of parts, etc., without removal of the cover plate 21, itself; though, as is obvious, this cover platemay also be readily removed by the removal of the retaining bolts 22.

hat I claim is:

1. In a cabinet for panel'boards andthe like, havinga. base and sides, a face strip for the front edges of the sides, and means for permitting inward or outward adjustment of the face strip relative to the front edges of the sides, whereby to constitute a liningsurface forthe surrounding wall finish, and connections from said facing. strip adapted to support a panel board or the like, wherebythe latter is adjusted simultaneously-withthe'fac ing strip.

2. In a cabinet for panel boards and the like, said cabinet having a base and side portions, a facing strip for the edges of said side portions, having flanges positioned within and extending substantially parallel with the side portions, means whereby the facing strip may be inwardly or outwardly adjusted relative to the base of the cabinet and supporting means for a panel board or the like secured to said flange portions, said supporting means being constructed and arranged whereby in the adjustment of the facing strip the panel board support is simultaneously adjusted to maintain the panel board and the facing strip in alignment.

3. In combination, a panel board, supports projecting laterally therefrom, an enclosing cabinet for the panel board, having a facing strip for the front edges of the cabinet, means for permitting an inward or outward adj ustment of the facing strip relative to the front edges of the cabinet, said lateral supports having connection with the facing strip whereby the panel board will be simultaneously adjusted with the adjustment of the facing strip.

4. In a cabinet for panel boards and the like, the combination of a facing strip projecting around the cabinet at the front edges of its sides only, two sides of the facing strip having depending flanges overlying the inner surface of the adjacent side strips, means providing for a relative adjustment in an inward or outward direction between said flanges and said sides, and a panel board having connection with said facing strips for adjustment with the latter.

5. In a cabinet for panel boards and the like, the combination of a facing strip projecting around the cabinet at the front edges of its sides, two sides of the facing strip having depending flanges overlying the inner surface of the adjacent side strips, means providing for a relative adjustment in an inward or outward direction between said flanges and said sides, the other two sides of the facing strip having relatively short inwardly projecting flanges extending substantially parallel with but spaced from the adjacent sides, and a panel board having connection with said facing strips for adjustment with the latter.

6. In combination, a cabinet having side walls, a member carried by the side walls and having an inward or outward adjustment with respect to the cabinet, a panel board positioned within the cabinet, and free from connection with the base of the cabinet, and means projecting laterally from the panel board and secured to the adjustable member on the side walls of the cabinet whereby the panel may be adjusted inwardly and outwardly simultaneously with said member with respect to the base of the cabinet.

7. In combination, a cabinet having side walls, a panel board positioned within the cabinet, and free from connection with the base of the cabinet, supporting means projecting laterally from the panel board and having a connection with the side walls of the cabinet whereby the panel may be adj usted inwardly and outwardly with respect to the base of the cabinet, and facing strips for the cabinet operatively connected with the panel board for adjustment with the latter.

8. In a base or cabinet for panel boards and the like, the combination of a base, side and end walls, an adjustable facing strip for the edges of the side and end walls, a cover plate overlying said facing strip, said cover plate terminating short of the outer edges of said facing strip, and a filling strip surrounding said cover plate and resting on said facing strip whereby to constitute a continuation in effect of said cover plate.

9. In combination, a panel board comprising a base and sides, removable angle-bar connections for the sides, which latter have integral offset parts, an enclosing cabinet comprising a base and side walls, and a connection between said offsetparts and the side walls of the cabinet to permit adjustment of the panel box in an inward or outward direction with respect to the face of the cabinet.

10. In combination, a panel board comprising a base and sides, removable angle-bar connections for the sides, which latter have integral offset parts, an enclosing cabinet comprising a base and side walls, means providing for relative adjustment in an inward or outward direction between said offset parts and the side walls of the cabinet to permit adjustment of the panel box with respect to the face of the cabinet, and a facing strip for the cabinet operativelv associated with said adjustable means whereby the facing strip and panel box may be simultaneouly adjusted.

11. In a cabinet for panel boards and the like, having a base and sides, a facing strip for the front edges of the sides whereby to provide a ground strip or true surface for the surrounding wall finish, connections from the facing strip adapted to support a panel board or the like with the front edges of the sides of the panel board substantially flush with the facing strip, and means within the cabinet for adjusting the facing strip with respect to the surrounding wall finish, whereby the panel board will be simultaneously adjusted with the facing strip and maintained in normal relative position with respect thereto.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature.

FRANK T. SI-IULL. 

